The Orange Is the New Black alum received rejection letters from all of the acting schools she applied to over a decade ago. Last month, Wiley, now 30, earned her first Emmy nod for her role as Moira on The Handmaid’s Tale.

“I remember being so sad and downtrodden after hearing that I couldn’t even go to an arts school,” the outstanding supporting actress in a drama series nominee tells PEOPLE. “And now this Emmy thing is happening....